A Man from the Forest of Forgotten Memories. By Haruki Morokawa Written for "Grapheion "(European Review of Modern Prints, Book and Paper Art) July-Sept 1999. 1. A man from the forest of forgotten memories 　It may sound strange to talk of a person`s inner forest, a forest within. One may ask, "what kind of forest?" 　Early one summer day in 1996, I took my students to Rikugien Gallery in downtown Tokyo to see an exhibition of Wayne Crothers. Walking into the gallery the first impression that impacted upon me was one of forest. This immediacy of forest was created by variously coloured prints hanging freely from wires in open space. These drifting sheets could be approached from any aspect and through them the sensation of forest was profound. Rendered on each hanging sheet was a life size amorphous figure and

for a moment I froze paralyzed as I felt this ghostly army trigger ancient fears from within. The artist's friendly and mellow voice broke my reverie. After politely greeting me with a wry smile he proceeded to talk in some detail about his works and their origin. 　At first sight these vague, human figures are reminiscent of Eve Klein's female nude prints of the 1960's or languid 19th century Japanese Ukioe fish prints. Prints are taken from the artists own body and these images, once transferred to a plywood board, are cut in various ways with knives in a process which is analogous to decomposition. These decaying images are subsequently coloured with horse hair brushes and ultimately transferred onto sheets of paper. 　Through this process the artist's figure spawned on the day of it`s initial impression evolves and mutates by degrees, taking on a new incarnation distinct from it`s origin. Like an emotional imprint some joyous, some melancholic, some agonized, these images are

amorphous and anonymous and hence archetypical in character. 　The artist explained that "Repository of Forgotten Sensations" the title of the work relates to the storage of the artists own memory and experiences. This insight helped dissipate the threat of the images and enabled me to sense each image as an encapsulation of memory with its own story to tell. So this external forest is a representation of a forest within, an inner forest, a repository of conscious and unconscious memories. In this forest we can stroll around, breath easily and feel relieved. It was not until later that I discovered the works had also been exhibited in a true living forest on several occasions. 2.Travel, Culture and Memories 　Wayne Crothers was born in Melbourne and the vast land of Australia has cast a shadow over hiswork. In an interview given in 1996 he explained that he grew up watching carefully the birth and death cycle of life. The decay process once life had passed, and the new growth that springs from

this decay. As a sheep`s body decays and decomposes, so fertilizing the ground for new plant growth, so our experiences in everyday life create a seedbed of memories. From these memories, new experiences evolve which are derative and hence coloured by past events. In this way our every day experiences decay into memory and fertilize our future mentality. This life cycle approach is the core of the artists work and this theme forms the base structure and driving force from beginning to end. 　The artist`s images are also imbued by his travels, first in India, then Pakistan and China. The Samsara, the buddhistic doctrine of the transmigration of souls is likely to have inspired another profound layer within his works. 　Finally he came to Japan. In Kyoto, he stayed in a wing of Shorin-in Temple, where he came into contact with old Japanese traditions in a somewhat ascetic atmosphere. There he most likely absorbed such passions and sensations which are usually concealed in ordinary Japanese life and form nuclear

motives in (inter alia) works by Yukio Mishima, Junichiro Tanizaki, or Kabuki Dramas. 　In Japan the artist consolidated his former memories and experiences developing ideas for the future. His works began to represent a repository of his various memories, a sublimation of experiences born out of tangible contact with people and places. The artist himself has described his life as a "coincidence of circumstance". However his winning of First Prize in the Annual Japan Print Association Exhibition later that year was no coincidence. He was the first foreign artist to receive this award in the 64 year history of the authority`s assessment. 3.Conflict of a soul 　Recently the artist has been working in Hokkaido the northern most island of Japan. During the snow bound season of this island`s severe winter the artist was confined to reflect upon his inner world. Here he produced his most recent series titled "Frozen Column"(1999) which foretells a new

development. 　In this work the still evident theme of the life-and-death cycle is mingled with a deep passionate striving or agony to live. Through this frozen medium we can sense the artist questioning his present self as a function of past and even future selves. From the severe conditions of the Hokkaido winter this inner conflict has crystallized into a series of prints which touch upon the universal paradoxes of existence. 　For almost all eminent artists, the places with which they have direct contact play an important role in building up the character of their art. Wayne Crothers is no exception. He has been the receptacle of vital influences from the places where he has stayed. After sensitively gathering these influences, he has expressed them as important memories in his works. In "Frozen Column" the confrontation of memories is most vitally expressed and lends enormous resonance to each print. The work derives its power from the interface of the stark Hokkaido winter and the

artists own inner conflict. 4.Effect of Totality 　Any visitor who steps into an exhibition of print works of Wayne Crothers will be surprised at the way which the prints are shown. Some may ask, "Is it really an exhibition?". as a work of art however the artist also intends to create an environmental effect. This holistic atmosphere is achieved by displaying the prints within a three dimensional space in accordance with an overall concept. Thus the prints form a unity which one should step back and view from a distance to further appreciate the artists message of totality. 　A further example of this totality is seen in his work titled"Perplexity of Place"(1997). At first sight it appears to be an ordinary book. One side is coloured with red, orange and yellow pigments, whilst the other side is of monotonous black, upon which some words have been scribed. Entering the book however, we find the pages are be enjoyed page by page as though reading a picture book. It can also

take on the aspect of a cotinuous scroll or at times be reminiscent of a small "byo-bu", (a Japanese folding screen,adorned with naturalistic motives of birds and flowers, or genre subjects). This "book" can be extended over 7 meters in length enabling us to view the images in a continuous cycle similar to those in his other print series. 　It is interesting to note that this work includes some printed impressions of the rocks from the place where the artist was working. Again we detect his usage of memory and the theme of a life and death is also revealed in the contrast between the monotone black and the richly coloured vibrantly chaotic side of the book. In other words, "Perplexity of Place" is itself a complex of vague images creating a small scale universe, which can be contracted or expanded by folding or unfolding its form. 5.Towards the infinite possibility of Prints 　In the final analysis how can we define the art of Wayne Crothers. In "Repository of Forgotten

Sensations", he traces the metamorphosis of an image, first as a single image on sheets of paper, then as a unity in a total composition. In "Perplexity of Place" memories are composed to present sensations within a continuous universe. And in his latest work,"Frozen Column", we see developed conflicts of memory and environment. 　In each case, the artist discloses the profound world of his memories, in a representation of time and of space through which he has passed. But when we as observers enter into this forest of memories, we find an empathy with the artist and discover that we hold in common with him some experiences which are not purely individual, but universal and transcendental. 　"The future who knows?",once replied the artist with a smile in an interview "If we could know our future perfectly, would it be enjoyable to live?" Drawing from the past and gathering powers for the present, even now the artist is gouging a block of wood, with electric power tools or conventional

chisels. As far as I see, the future of his artwork is still hopeful. Or should I say with the artist, "the future who knows?" Haruki Morokawa teaches art history at the Tama Art University in Tokyo, where he is Professor in Art and Science. His has published several books an many articles on Renaissance and Modern themes, including "Who's who in Western Art" (1996), "Great Masters as they were" (1997), "A Concise History of Western Painting" (1998)